Fresh Green Beans with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

This Sunday at the Fairmount Neighborhood Farmers Market, held between 10 am - 2 pm on the corner of Agate and 19th Ave., you'll find plenty of summer produce from Camas Swale Farm and pastured meat and poultry from Fair Valley Farm and Fog Hollow Farm. Looks for plenty of cherry tomatoes and late summer green beans.

When they are small and tender, I love eating green beans unadulterated. But I'm also fond of the flavor of heartier bean varieties such as Romanos stewed in tomatoes (similar to this braised celery recipe). Last week I made a side dish for mac and cheese that was a perfect marriage of the two: fresh green beans drizzled with cherry tomatoes roasted with fresh herbs. The collapsed sweetness of roasted tomatoes was the perfect complement to green beans with a hint of a fresh crunch.

Fresh Green Beans with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

serves four

1 pint cherry tomatoes
several springs of fresh thyme, marjoram, or oregano
drizzle of olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 lb green beans

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a small baking pan that will hold the tomatoes in a single layer, combine all of the ingredients and swirl to mix. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes until the tomatoes have completely collapsed and their juices have started to caramelize. This can also be done in a toaster oven. 

2. Meanwhile set a medium pot of salted water to boil. Trim off the stem ends of the green beans. When the water is boiling, add the green beans and cook for 4 minutes for small beans or 5 minutes for large beans. Drain and put on a serving platter. When the tomatoes are done roasting, drizzle them over the green beans and serve.